Stem-making machine.



No. 871,160. PATBNTED NOV. 19. 1907. I M. H. BRANIN.

STEM MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'imesses: lnveniort MARK H.5RAMEN vg y No. 871,160. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. M. BRANIN. STEM MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

WiCnesses: Inventor. MAM 0M MARK HER/mm PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. M. H. BRANIN. STEM MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..28,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

Inventor.

MARK HBRANIN.

AW y.

WHcnesses: 4W QM w I/ UNITED STATES ATE'I erron- MARK H. BRANIN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STEM-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

the lamp filament thereon and at t e other end sealed to the neck of the lamp bulb, the leading-in wires which connect the filament in circuit extending through and being sealed in the glass.

My invention involves the provision of a machine for making such lamp-stems and,

. more particularly, for making stems" for lamps whose filaments carry a relatively large current, as for instance, lamps designed for connection in series in a circuit.

In series incandescent lamps whose filaments arerelatively thick and hence require a heavy'current to bring them up to incandescence', it has been found highly desirable to provideon the leading-in wires, between the stem and the points of connection of the filament, bodies of some suitable material, preferably glass, which will draw heat from the wires and radiate it so as to protect the portions of the wires within the seal against great changes of temperature, as otherwise the repeated heating and cooling of these portions of the wires would be a t to create a defective joint at the seal an ultimately destro the vacuum within the bulb.

, My invention involves a'machine for making'stems for such series lamps having radiators secured on the leading-in wires above theend of tliestem, the radiators being referably of glass and joined to the end 0 the stem.

'I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of.my invention in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a top view of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one of the rotating heads; Figs. 4 and 5 are top views of one of the heads showing the two positions of the clutch; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8am detail views of the support for the leading-in wires and radiators.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a table on which is mounted a hollow vertical standard 2 supporting at its upper end a plurality of blow-pi e burners 3 which are supplied with gas an air by pipes extending up through the standard 2. A second standard 4 mounted on table 1 carries a similar set of blow-pipe burners 5, the gas and air jets of which are led to the burner members by pipes 6. Loosely mounted on standard 2 is a collar 7 and extending laterally there'- from are arms 8 to one of which is connected one end of a lever 9 pivoted in a support 10 on table 1 and provided with an operating handle 11. A counterweight 12 is suspended from the lever as shown. On the upper face of collar 7 is a ball-race for balls w ich form a bearing for a sleeve 13 mounted for rotation and axial movement on standard 2. Formed on this sleeve are apulley 14 and a sprocket 15, and a belt 16 runs on pul ley 14 to communicate rotary motion to the sleeve. Above sleeve 13 a frame 17 is loosely mounted on standard 2 so as to rotate and move axially thereon. In the arms of frame 17 are openings to receive the shafts of a plurality of similar rotary heads; in the present instance four such heads are shown.

Each of the rotary heads comprises a shaft 18 extending loosely through an opening in frame 17, a cross-head 19 secured on this shaft and two rods 20 extending upward from the ends of the cross-head. Below the arm of frame 17, a peripheral groove is formed in shaft 18 providing a bearing for a sprocket 21 and a chain 22 runs on the sprocket 15 of sleeve 13, on the sprocket 21 of eachof the rotary heads and on another tension sprocket 23 carried by a spring-retracted frame 24 to communicate continuous rotary motion to all of the sprockets 21. Pivotally mounted on the bottom of each shaft 18 is a clutch lever 25 to one end of which is pivoted a pin 26 extending through an opening in the end of shaft 18. A spring 27 connected to the lever and to the shaft tends to turn the lever on its pivot to carry the end of pin 26 into one of a plurality of openings. in sprocket 21 so as to clutch the sprocket in driving relation to the shaft 18, and the parts carried thereby. In order to disconnect the sprocket 21 from the shafts 18 and thus bring the rotary heads to rest, I provide stops 28 for operating the levers 25 1n one or more positions of the heads after leaving the burners 3 and pin 50 on one of the slides 48 extends.

5, that is, the positions where the completed stems are removed from the heads and where new parts are supplied to the heads. On the upper end of each ofthese stops is a cam surface adapted to be engaged by the levers 25 andwhich tiirnthe levers on their pivots to withdraw the pins 26 from the sprockets 21.

parts are properly softened and then to ar--* rest rotation while the seal is effected, I provide for coactionwith the levers 25 of the heads whenin this position a stop 30 which is adjustable vertically under the control of the operator. This stop is movable in a guide 31, a spring 32 being arranged to depress it in the guide, and a pedal is connected to the stop' by a link 34 and pivoted lever 35 so that the operator can, by pressing pedal 33, raise stop 30 until the cam surface thereon lies in the path of movement of the levers 25.

Secured on the upper ends of the rods 20 of each of the rotary heads, is a plate 36 having a central circular opening and a groove about this opening in'which a disk 37 fits and is rotatable. This. disk is rotated by a link 38 pivotally connected at one end to the diskv and at the other to a post 39 extcndingupward from an offset 40 on a sleeve 41 which is loose on one of the rods 20. A. coiled spring 42 connects the sleeve 41 and the opposite rod 20 and tends to turn sleeve 41 and with it the disk 37 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Secured to'sleeve 41 is a handle 43 bywhich the parts may be moved against the tension of spring 42 to the position shown in Fig. 4. In the plate 36 are two openings or guideways in line with each other and adapted to slide back and forth in these guideways are two clutch-plates 44 eachof which has a stud 45 on its upper face extendingthrough an eccentric'slot in disk 37. Secured on the rod 20 opposite that supporting sleeve 41 is an arm 46 on which is mounted a member 47 having a central bore and on the upper surface of which are two grooves in line with each other. Slides 48 are adapted to move back and forth in these grooves and near their adjacent ends these slides have small openings therethrough. ber 47 is a shoulder and an annulus 49, located between this shoulder and the top of arm 46 and rotatable on member 47, has two eccentric slots therein into each of which a A screw 51 may be pivoted in a threaded bore in annulus 49 and may be tightened up to Onthe mem'' hold the annulus any position of adjust secured on stem 52 is adapted to extend into one of these openings.

A reliminar-y heater, preferably consistingo asing'le blowipe burner 55,is mounted on table 1 in position to cocperate with-the stem-parts on the head next preceding that *whichis between the burners 3 and 5.

An extra burner 67 controlled by a valve 68 may be mounted beside the burners 5 for use-when a greater heat than usual is required, as when very long radiators are being sealed on the wires. Supported on the table is a spring-arm 56 having a groove in its outer edge adapted to cooperate with stri s 57 on the frame 17 to arrest rotation of tiie frame in the successive positions in which a rotary head is between theburners 3' and 5. A' airof pincers which may, be swung into and out gofposition are rovided for making the seal. (11am ed on tli port 53 to whic is pivotedan arm 59; n the end of this arm are pivoted the pincer e guide 31 is a-su arms 60 having a button 61 for operating them, toggle-links 62 connecting the button to the arms and a spring 63 to normally hold the pincers open.

The machine can be operated by one opthe leading-in wires of stems varies with the use for which they are designed and this is regulated by loosening the screw51 and turning the annulus 49 on each head, the eccentric grooves therein coacting with the ins 50 to move slides 48 toward or away rom each other. The ends of the leading-inwires are positioned by the openings in these slides so that their position determines the distance between the portions of the-wires lying within the seal. The length of the leading-in wires extending beyond the seal also varies in different types of lamps. This can be regulated by adjusting stem 52 vertically in the bore of arm 46 as the ends of the leading-in wires projecting through the openings in slides 48 rest uponthe plate 53 on the end of 'stem52. Each of the radiators 64 consists of a short piece of glass'having an opening therethrough just large enough to permit threadin on the leading-1n wire.

The ends of two wires 65 having rabear upon the lower end of the flare.

diators thereon are inserted through the opening in plate 36 between the clutch-members 44 and through the openings in slides 48 until the ends of the wires rest on the plate 53, and the ends of the radiators rest on the slides. The handle 43 is then pressed to the position shown in Fig. 4 thus turning sleeve 41 and disk 37 against the tension of s rin 42, and, by means of the eccentric s ots in disk 37, opening the clutch-members 44; a flare 66 consisting of a short length of lass tubing having a flange at one end is rought down over the leading-in wires untilits lower edge engages the radiators 64 and the handle 43 is then released so that spring 42. actuates the clutch-members to cause them to grip the flare, The frame 17 is then swung around on standard 2 and the parts for a stem are assembled on the succeeding heads in a similar manner. It will be understood that the rotation of the heads by the continuously rotating sprockets 21 is arrested in the position for assembling the parts by the stops 28. When a head reaches the position next before coming betweenthe burners 3 and 5, the preliminary heater plays upon the radiators and the end of the flare. The next movement of the frame brings this head between the burners/3 and 5 which converge upon the glass parts and rapidly soften them. The. operator manipulates lever 9 by handle 11 and thus adjusts collar 7, sleeve 13 and frame 17 upon standard By this vertical adjustment of frame 17 and the parts carried thereby the operator causes the flames of burners 3 and 5 to play over the whole length of the radiators 64 and the latter are softened until the glass falls closely in around the wires and is sealed thereto. The operator then lowers the frame by handle .11 thus bringing the flames this en of the flare is not in contact with the radiators the operator presses handle 43 and thus moves clutch-members 44 enough to free the flare and the latter falls by gravity upon the radiators. When the end of the flare is softened by the heat the operator presses pedal thus raising stop 30 into the path of rotation of lever 25 and as the lever rides up the incline on the end of the stop the rotation of the head is arrested. The arm 59 is then swung on its pivot to carry the pinccrs to the position for sealing and when the arm is in this position the but ton 6! is pressed and the pincer arms close upon the flare, pressing its walls together upon the leading-in wires. The heating of the radiators and the end of the flare causes them to become joined forming a unitary structure which is neat and attractive in appearance. The head is then moved to the next position inwhich the completed stem is removed from the head. These operations are repeated as each head is brought around in front of the operator. All of the ste s incident to the manufacture of a stem on t ie machine require only a short time, much less than has been required for making the stems by hand as has been the practice heretofore with stems of this type. The use of the machine offers the further advantage that the glass of the radiators flows downward when heated just enough to make the ends of the radiators of the finished stems somewhat concave and this concave formation prevents cracking of the end of the radiator when the end of the leading-in wire is bent and makes the wire bend on somewhat of a curve.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In a stem making machine, a holder for the glass tube, asupport for the ends of the leading-in wires extending througlrthe tube, means for adjusting said support with reference to said holder to vary the length-of the wires extending through the tubc,.-and a heater for softening the glass.

2.,In a stem-making machine, a rotary head, driving mechanism therefor, a holder for the glass tube carried by said head, a support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube also carried by said head, means for adjusting said support with reference to said holder to vary the length of the wires extending through the tube, devices for locking the su port in any. adjusted position, and a heater or so tening the glass.

3. In a stem-making machine, a rotatable frame, a plurality of rotary heads carried thereby, driving mechanism therefor, a holder for the glass tube carried by each head, a support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube carried by each head, means for adjusting said support with reference to said holder to vary the length of the wires extending through the tube, a heater for softening the glass, and a pinching device for effecting the seal.

4. In a stem-making machine, a holder for the glass tube, means for adjusting the distance between the ends of the lcading-in wires extending through the tube, and a heater forsoftening the glass.

5. In a stem-making ma hine, aholder for the glass tube, means for supporting the leading-in wires with their ends extending beyond the end'of the tube and in a definite relation thereto, means for adjusting the distance between the ends of the wires, and a heater for softening the glass.

6. In a sten'i-making machine, a holder for the glass tube, slides arranged to receive and position the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube, means for moving said slides toward and away from each other. and a heater for softening the glass,

7. In a stem-making machine, a holder for a glass tube, slides arranged to receive and position the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube, pins on said slides, a rotatable member having eccentric slots therein into which said pins extend, and a burner for heating the glass tube.

8. In a stem-making machine, a holder for a glass tube, slides arranged to receive and position the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube, ins on said slides, a rotatable member having eccentric slots therein into which said pins extend, means for locking said member in any adjusted position, and a burner for softening the glass.

9. In a stem-making machine, a holder for the tube, a support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube, slides overlying said support having openings therethrough for the leading-in wires, and a heater for softening the glass.

' 10. In a stem-making machine, a rotary head, driving mechanism therefor, a holder for the tube carried by the head, a support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through the tube also. carried by the hea'd, means for adjusting said support, slides overlying said support having openings therethrough for the wires, a heater for softening the glass, and pincers for effecting the seal.

11.. Ina stem-making machine, a rotatable frame, a plurality of rotary heads carried thereby, driving mechanism therefor, a

holder for the glass tube carried by each head, means on each head for su porting the leading-in wires with their en s extending beyond the end of the tube and in a definite relation thereto, means for adjusting the distance between the ends of the wires, a heater for softening the glass, and a pinching device for effecting the seal. 1

12. In a stem-making machine, a. holder for a glass tube, a support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through said tube, means for positioning radiators upon said.

wires, and a heater for softening the glass.

13. In a stem-making machine, a holder for a glass tube, a ,support for the ends of the leading-in wires extending through said tube, means for adjusting said support with reference'to said holder, means for positioning radiators upon said wires, and a heater for softening the glass.

14. In a stern-making machine,j a holder for a tube, means for su porting the leadingin wires with their en s extending beyond the end of the tube and in a definite relative position, means for adjusting the distance between the ends of the leading-in wires and for supporting'radiators upon the wires, and a heater for softening the glass.

15. In a stem-making machine, a flare holder, a support for the leading-in wires and a support for the radiators definitely located with respect to said holder, and a blow pipe burner movablymounted to have sufficient range of motion to soften the glass of the radiators and flareend whereby the leads may be sealed into the flare and the radiators fused to them.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my 

